Day 7, Monday, October 3, 2022
Our little flat is above a deli so this morning we were woken early-ish by the owners. The shop opens at 7.30 so they were bashing and crashing away an hour earlier than that.
I had a touring day planned with drives to Malham and Ribblehead Viaduct and afterward Masham and Knaresborough but we decided that the hikes in and out of Malham and Ribblehead were probably more than we wanted to do today. Instead we took it much easier with a visit to the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) gardens at Harlow Carr.
As it turned out, they were a great choice – beautiful gardens full of autumnal colour. I’ll let the photos do the talking… be prepared to be flower-bombed…
We ended up spending hours there – long enough that my plans to go to Masham for lunch went by the wayside.
Instead we ended up at The Inn at South Stanley – tomato soup with soda bread for me and a roast beef sandwich for Grant washed down with beer brewed just up the road.
On the way back we stopped in at Pateley Bridge.
It’s home to England’s oldest sweet shop; it’s been operating since 1827 and has a Guinness record to prove it.
Back in Grassington, I left Grant to have a nap while I had a good mooch around the Stripey Badger Bookshop. I bought Date With Death, the first in Julia Chapman’s Dales Detectives mysteries and set in and around the Dales. I also bought and sent a postcard to Mum and Dad… we’ll probably arrive home before it does.
Went to Rozi’s, the local Indian restaurant tonight, and what a laugh that was. Tables are jammed in so tightly that to get in you literally have to move the table out of the way. The server seated us and then after taking our orders announced he needed to move us as a group of 4 was coming in. This left us seated between 2 groups of local men – all of whom worked in pubs and restaurants around the town – who knew each other, with us wedged between the 2 groups. The banter was hilarious – and better than the food which was perfectly ok.
Off to Bakewell tomorrow… Yorkshire, you’ve been, as ever, wonderful.
And Anyways... 
Wow, those sculptures are amazing! And, I really want to visit that candy store and then on to the book store (love the name!).
My husband loves a sweetie shop. Me not so much. The bookshop though, well, that’s another matter entirely.
Wow! Those sculptures are incredible! I can see how you spent hours looking at all the beautiful flowers and things.
Time flies when you’re out in nature.
That Bookstore looks perfect! I’m glad you managed to find a book to take away with you. I’ve loved this tour of Yorkshire with you. Wonderful memories.
Thanks Darlene…I already can’t wait to go back. Sadly it will be a few years though…
Those floral heads are quite something! What a great holiday you had.
We really did…
Hi Jo – I was a bit weirded out by the Green Men but loved the Stripey Badger Bookshop name – it’s so English! Your blog posts are as close to England as I’m likely to get, so it’s great seeing all your pics and commentary.
Loved the Flowers 🙂
Just love your ‘travelogues’ and pics. I am watching Alan Titchmass (or Titchmarch?) Love Your Garden at the moment via Foxtel and gosh I love the whole range of what can be grown with success in the UK. Thank you for your blog post shared on Wednesday’s Words and Pics this week. I do appreciate your support. I hope to see you next week too. Denyse.
Wow!! Those gardens were worth the time. I love the creativity of the green men! The rest of the day seems about perfect as well. A pub lunch, a funny time at supper and the quiet afternoon browsing in both shops. I love small town old England!! So glad to be following along! Bernie
I LOVE the sculptures and all the flowers Jo, what fun you had. It would have been interesting being between the 2 tables of local men, very entertaining I bet! I have read the first in the Julia Chapman series on your recommendation and enjoyed it, after I got over the Samson and Delilah names! I have to keep track of where I’m up to in all my series 🙂